With the Olympics, I miss the Cold War

I was checking the medal table today, and did a quick count to find that not only is the U.S. kicking ass in the medal count, we'd still be kicking ass even if you reassembled the old U.S.S.R. We had 6 total. Russia as it stands has 1 and the former U.S.S.R would only have 2.
God I miss the Cold War.

The Georgian luger who died would've been on the Soviet team, and there would've been a detente over shared grief. I'm not sure that's ever happened with the notable exception of Munich, which I was too young to remember.

I was thinking the other day that if the Russians and Canadians play in hockey I might root for the Russians, no offense to our Canadian friends on the board. I would have never imagined that possible as a kid.

I was thinking the other day that if the Russians and Canadians play in hockey I might root for the Russians, no offense to our Canadian friends on the board. I would have never imagined that possible as a kid.

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I'll root for the Russians for pure schadenfreude reasons. Canada can win 40 medals for all I care, but I am really hoping they finish off the podium in curling and win maybe a bronze in ice hockey.

I was checking the medal table today, and did a quick count to find that not only is the U.S. kicking ass in the medal count, we'd still be kicking ass even if you reassembled the old U.S.S.R. We had 6 total. Russia as it stands has 1 and the former U.S.S.R would only have 2.

I admit I miss the 'Us vs. Them' hatred aspect of the Olympics. I still remember feeling awkward rooting for Czechoslovakia (sp?) in the gold medal hockey game in 1984 because they were facing the Soviets. I figured that even though they were two Commie teams, I'd root for the less powerful one.

Today, it almost feels like rooting for the U.S. is like rooting for U.S. Steel.

The Georgian luger who died would've been on the Soviet team, and there would've been a detente over shared grief. I'm not sure that's ever happened with the notable exception of Munich, which I was too young to remember.

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If the Georgian luger had been a Soviet, we'd still be waiting to hear that he died.

I was thinking the other day that if the Russians and Canadians play in hockey I might root for the Russians, no offense to our Canadian friends on the board. I would have never imagined that possible as a kid.

Click to expand...

I'll root for the Russians for pure schadenfreude reasons. Canada can win 40 medals for all I care, but I am really hoping they finish off the podium in curling and win maybe a bronze in ice hockey.

Click to expand...

It's not hyperbole to say that, if we win 40 medals but one of them is not gold in men's hockey, the Olympics will be considered a failure.

People can talk all they want about "winning silver" as opposed to losing gold, and it may well be true in some sports, but not in hockey. Not in Canada. Gold is the only coloUr that matters.